Anything but pool filter sand!

[rrcoolj]

I know I have posted quite a few sand threads lately but I am seriously getting a bit irritated . I have searched through MFK to find another good sand for my aquarium besides pool filter sand but every time someone seems to ask if "x" sand is ok pool filter sand is immediately suggested and an opinion is never given. SO i decided to start my own thread.

Basically I cannot get pool filter sand anywhere near where I live. The closest Leslie's pool supply store is 45min-1hr away so not close. I would really wrather find another appropriate sand I could use. Something at the local home depot or lowes. I am going there tommorrow to pick up a substrate and I will either be getting sand or gravel and I really hope it's sand.

I need a heavy sand because i have central american cichlids that like to dig and I have a current to keep debri of the bottom. The sand I currently have(just removed it from the tank tonight) is this sand from petsmart I have accumulated over the years. It is very fine and is easily kicked up. But my fish love to sift through it for food. I want sand so they can still sift through the substrate and I like how debri stays on top of sand so it can be picked up by the current. I have 2 aquaclear 110 on the tank and even with a pre-filter they still catch sand and the impellers suffer. I don't want to lose those filters.

Soo... can anyone suggest a sand(or maybe fine gravel) that I can find at a local home depot or lowes that won't claug my filters? I want it large enough that it won't get kicked up and damage my filters but small enough that my fish can still sift through it and dbri sits on top of it.

 

[fishmamma]

No suggestions... but Leslies is not the only place that carries PFS.. any pool suppy store would carry it.. check your area.

 

[Moloch]

Uhmm....I bought pool filter sand at Home Depot. QuickCrete brand. Its a lot more brown/tan than what I was expecting (we were looking for white) and some of the grains are rather large, but it looks OK in the tank. It will vary by area what the sand will actually look like due to where they're supplied from. But you can get a 50lb bag of the stuff from home depot for like 6-8$ I believe. We found it outside in the gardening area by the pea gravel.

Other than that though, my personal preference so far is Estes Medium Broadcast or 3m Colorquartz if you can find it. I get mine from a local construction supply store. Its a product designed for pool decking & other construction uses, but its great for aquariums

 

[sheheartsfish]

Agreed, they sell a 20lb. bag of Pool Filter Sand at Home Depot and Lowe's for around $5. They also sell Play sand, like 50lbs. for $3-$4.
IMO, Pool Filter Sand is lighter in color, looks more natural, and has smaller grains verses Play Sand.

Or, you could always goto your Local Fish Store, and buy aquarium sand there. But it will much more expensive.
My LFS sells 5lb. bags for $5-$6.

 

[asagi_koi]

How about sand for sanblasting. I.would think auto part stores would sell it and it comes in different sizes depending on desired coarseness..

 

[ogmoses]

last week i walked in petco and they have a new colored heavy sand that look heavy. kinda expensive 17.99 per 20lbs
they had black, white, a rust color. dude there said it was new and heavy check it out. did not get the name but if you want it pm me and ill call the dude there and ask him.
peace.

 

[flip_mode]

yup i saw pfs at the home depot near me when i went to go price it

 

[flip_mode]

i used play sand in a 10g with a HOB filter and sand hasnt bothered it but then again it doesnt go past the midway level

 

[KaiserSousay]

I want sand so they can still sift through the substrate and I like how debri stays on top of sand so it can be picked up by the current. I have 2 aquaclear 110 on the tank and even with a pre-filter they still catch sand and the impellers suffer. I don't want to lose those filters.

Rock and a hard place, or that`s the way it seems to me.
PFS is always brought up because it is cheap and heavy.
Not so heavy that diggers/sifters have a problem with it, but just a tail flip won`t send a bunch into suspension.
I`m right with you on being tired of material getting into filters and grinding up the components.
You would think they could make the impeller systems out of materials that can stand up to a bit of sand every now and then.
I never liked the look of a big chunk of sponge on a filter intake.
Always had a mass of poop stuck to it so that a bunch would fall off during cleaning time.
Sorry, I got no answer for you.
But me, I think the problem lies with the materials used for impeller systems and not with the type of substrata used.

 

[mike b]

have you thought of using a combination of the two? the pfs with some of the pea gravel sprinkled around? the centrals will still dig in it but it seems to give a more natural look Ive done this in a couple of my tanks with no ill effects on my filtration